US20200300366A1 - Seal design - Google Patents
Seal design Download PDFInfo
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- US20200300366A1 US20200300366A1 US16/357,433 US201916357433A US2020300366A1 US 20200300366 A1 US20200300366 A1 US 20200300366A1 US 201916357433 A US201916357433 A US 201916357433A US 2020300366 A1 US2020300366 A1 US 2020300366A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- flange
- seal
- radially
- axial
- intermediate portion
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
- F16J15/3284—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings characterised by their structure; Selection of materials
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C11/00—Pivots; Pivotal connections
- F16C11/04—Pivotal connections
- F16C11/06—Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints
- F16C11/0666—Sealing means between the socket and the inner member shaft
- F16C11/0671—Sealing means between the socket and the inner member shaft allowing operative relative movement of joint parts due to flexing of the sealing means
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C23/00—Bearings for exclusively rotary movement adjustable for aligning or positioning
- F16C23/02—Sliding-contact bearings
- F16C23/04—Sliding-contact bearings self-adjusting
- F16C23/043—Sliding-contact bearings self-adjusting with spherical surfaces, e.g. spherical plain bearings
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C23/00—Bearings for exclusively rotary movement adjustable for aligning or positioning
- F16C23/02—Sliding-contact bearings
- F16C23/04—Sliding-contact bearings self-adjusting
- F16C23/043—Sliding-contact bearings self-adjusting with spherical surfaces, e.g. spherical plain bearings
- F16C23/045—Sliding-contact bearings self-adjusting with spherical surfaces, e.g. spherical plain bearings for radial load mainly, e.g. radial spherical plain bearings
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/72—Sealings
- F16C33/74—Sealings of sliding-contact bearings
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
- F16J15/3204—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
- F16J15/3268—Mounting of sealing rings
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C2326/00—Articles relating to transporting
- F16C2326/01—Parts of vehicles in general
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C2326/00—Articles relating to transporting
- F16C2326/20—Land vehicles
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to a seal for a joint assembly of a machined. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a seal member for a maintenance-free bearing of a joint assembly of an off-highway machine.
- Off-highway machines have a dump body may operate in a variety of environments.
- Such machines can include one or more hoist cylinders configured to selectively pivot the dump body about its rear end from a horizontal position to an inclined dumping position, etc.
- the end of the hoist cylinder that is connected to the frame of the machine can pivot about a bearing to accommodate the different orientations of the dump body.
- the operational efficiency of the hoist cylinder can be impaired such that it experiences increased mechanical loads that lead to early maintenance for the bearing.
- U.S. Pat. Application Publ. No. 2016/0097454A1 to Chapagain et al. discloses a seal member for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft that includes a ring, a flange, and a resiliently flexible intermediate portion interposed between the ring and the flange.
- the ring includes an annular distal and proximal ring faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along a longitudinal axis.
- the flange may include a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal axis.
- the flange may include an outer and an inner flange surface extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at, respectively, the outer and inner flange perimeters thereof.
- the intermediate portion is connected to the proximal ring face of the ring and to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange.
- a seal according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure includes an at least partially cylindrical annular body defining a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction.
- the at least partially cylindrical annular body may have a radially outer flange, a radially inner ring, and a resilient intermediate portion joining the radially outer flange to the radially inner ring.
- the radially outer flange defines a seal outer diameter and a flange axial thickness, and a ratio of the seal outer diameter to the flange axial thickness ranges from 14.0 to 15.0.
- a seal according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure includes an at least partially cylindrical annular body defining a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction.
- the at least partially cylindrical annular body may have a radially outer flange, a radially inner ring, and a resilient intermediate portion joining the radially outer flange to the radially inner ring.
- the radially outer flange defines a flange inner diameter
- the radially outer flange also includes a flange front axial face, and a flange rear axial face.
- the radially outer flange further defines a flange notch with a flange notch bottom surface extending from the flange front axial face to the flange inner diameter.
- a seal according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure includes an at least partially cylindrical annular body defining a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction.
- the at least partially cylindrical annular body may have a radially outer flange, a radially inner ring, and a resilient intermediate portion joining the radially outer flange to the radially inner ring.
- the radially inner ring defines a seal inner diameter and includes a ring front axial face.
- the resilient intermediate portion defines a resilient intermediate portion notch that includes a radial surface extending from the seal inner diameter, and an axial surface extending from the radial surface to the ring front axial face.
- the resilient intermediate portion also includes a skirt portion extending axially from the ring front axial face past the radial surface.
- FIG. 1 is a side view of a machine in the form of an off-highway truck suitable for use with a joint assembly using a seal design according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the joint assembly of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the joint assembly of FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 4 is a front view of a seal design of FIG. 3 .
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the seal design of FIG. 4 taken along lines 5 - 5 thereof.
- FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the seal design of FIG. 5 , illustrating the top portion of the cross-sectional geometry of the radially inner ring, the radially outer flange, and the resilient intermediate portion of the seal design more clearly.
- FIG. 7 is a rear view of the radially outer flange of FIG. 6 shown in isolation from the radially inner ring and the resilient intermediate portion.
- FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the radially outer flange of FIG. 7 taken along lines 8 - 8 thereof.
- FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the top portion of the radially outer flange of FIG. 8 .
- FIG. 10 is a front view of radially inner ring of FIG. 7 shown in isolation from the radially outer flange and the resilient intermediate portion.
- FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the radially inner ring of FIG. 10 taken along taken along lines 11 - 11 thereof.
- a seal design that may be used for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft are provided according to various principles of the present disclosure.
- the seal may prevent dirt or debris from entering into the joint and/or may keep lubricant within the joint, etc.
- FIG. 1 an exemplary embodiment of a machine 50 in the form of an off-highway truck.
- the machine is a large self-propelled off-highway vehicle capable of carrying tons of material in operations such as mining and the like.
- the machine 50 has a chassis 55 which supports an operator station 60 , a power system 62 , a drive system 64 , and a dump body 68 .
- the machine 50 can be any other suitable machine for use with a joint assembly having a seal design constructed in accordance with principles of the present disclosure.
- suitable machines include mobile or fixed machines used for construction, farming, mining, forestry, earth moving, transportation, and other similar industries.
- the machine can be an excavator, wheel loader, backhoe, crane, compactor, dozer, wheel tractor-scraper, material-handling machine, or any other suitable machine which includes a joint assembly with a seal.
- the operator station 60 may include controls for operating the machine 50 via the power system 62 .
- the illustrated operator station 60 is configured to define an interior cabin 70 within which the operator controls are housed and which is accessible via a door 72 .
- the operator station 60 can include one or more operator interface devices configured for use by a machine operator to maneuver the machine 50 and perform tasks with the machine 50 , for example. Examples of operator interface devices include, but are not limited to, a joystick, a steering wheel, and/or a pedal as are well known and understood in the industry.
- the power system 62 may be configured to supply power to the machine 50 .
- the power system 62 is operably arranged with the operator station 60 to receive control signals from the controls in the operator station 60 and with the drive system 64 and the dump body 68 to selectively operate the drive system 64 and/or the dump body 68 according to control signals received from the operator station 60 .
- the power system 62 is adapted to provide operating power for the propulsion of the drive system 64 and the operation of the dump body 68 as is understood by those having ordinary skill in the art.
- the power system 62 may include an engine, a cooling system or package, a transmission, and a hydraulic system, for example, housed at least in part within an engine compartment 75 supported by the chassis 55 .
- the engine can be any suitable engine, such as, an internal combustion engine, a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, a gaseous fuel-powered engine or any other type of suitable engine.
- the power system 62 can include a number of engines.
- the cooling system can be configured to cool the engine(s) of the power system 62 .
- the hydraulic system may include a plurality of components such as pumps, valves, and conduits, along with a hydraulic fluid reservoir (not shown).
- the hydraulic system as well as other systems in the machine, may include its own cooling arrangement.
- the drive system 64 may be in operable arrangement with the power system 62 to selectively propel the machine 50 via control signals sent through the operator station 60 .
- the drive system 64 can include a plurality of ground-engaging members, such as, wheels 80 as shown in the illustrated embodiment, which can be movably connected to the chassis 55 through axles, drive shafts or other components (not shown).
- the drive system 64 can be provided in the form of a track-drive system, a wheel-drive system, or any other type of drive system configured to propel the machine 50 .
- the dump body 68 defines a storage compartment configured to carry a payload, such as mined material, for example, within it.
- the dump body 68 is pivotably attached to the chassis 55 by a pair of pivot pins 82 respectively extending through a pair of body supports 84 projecting form the dump body 68 and located toward a rear end 86 of the dump body 12 , one on each side of the dump body 68 .
- the pivot pins 82 define a dump body pivot axis about which the dump body 68 can rotate relative to the chassis 55 .
- the dump body 68 is movable over a range of travel between a storage position (shown in FIG. 1 ) and a fully-inclined dumping position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 ).
- the dump body 68 may include a canopy 88 that extends outwardly from the dump body 68 when the dump body 68 is in the storage position, as shown in FIG. 1 .
- the canopy 88 extends over the operator station 60 and is configured to protect the operator station from debris falling overhead during loading of the dump body 68 .
- the dump body 68 can include a tailgate at the rear end 86 thereof which is adapted to move between an open position and a closed position.
- At least one actuator 90 is provided that is adapted to selectively move the dump body over the range of travel between the storage position and the fully-inclined dumping position.
- the actuator 90 can be any suitable actuator, such as an extendable cylinder in the form of a hydraulic cylinder or a hydro-pneumatic cylinder, for example, as is well known to those skilled in the art.
- the machine 50 can include a single extendable cylinder, for example, a pair of extendable cylinders as is customary, or more than two cylinders to selectively pivot the dump body 68 .
- a pair of actuators in the form of extendable cylinders 90 is provided.
- Each of the extendable cylinders 90 is pivotably connected to a respective side of the chassis 55 and the dump body 68 .
- Each extendable cylinder 90 is moveable over a range of travel between a refracted position (as shown as solid lines in FIG. 1 ) and an extended position (as shown as dotted lines in FIG. 1 ) to place the dump body 68 in the storage position and the fully-inclined position, respectively.
- a pair of cylinder brackets 92 may be provided between a front end 94 of the dump body 68 and the body supports 84 .
- Each cylinder bracket 92 is adapted to receive an upper end 96 of one of the extendable cylinders 90 , which can be pivotably mounted thereto via a pin 98 , for example.
- a pair of joint assemblies 100 constructed in accordance with principles of the present disclosure is provided to pivotably mount a lower end 102 of a respective extendable cylinder 90 to the chassis 55 .
- the dump body 68 when the cylinders 90 are in the retracted position, the dump body 68 is in the storage position for receiving payload therein.
- the front end 94 of the dump body 68 is raised relative to the chassis 55 to pivot the dump body 68 about the pivot axis to one of a series of dumping positions up to the fully-inclined dumping position for expelling the payload stored within the dump body 68 from the rear end 86 thereof.
- This movement of dump body 68 can be controlled using an operator interface device housed in the operator station 60 in a conventional manner.
- FIG. 2 an instance of the joint assembly 100 and its attachment to a cylinder 90 is shown.
- Various lubrication lines are also shown but it is to be understood that any of the embodiments of the seal design mentioned herein may be used in either a “dry” lube or “wet” lube joint application.
- FIG. 3 depicts the interior of the joint assembly 100 .
- the joint assembly 100 may comprise a bearing 104 that is provided to facilitate the relative movement of a pivot member 106 and a shaft 108 .
- the bearing 104 may define a bearing interface 110 about which the pivot member 106 is pivotable with respect to the shaft 108 .
- the illustrated bearing 104 may include an inner ring bearing member 112 and an outer race bearing member 114 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 has a spherically convex exterior bearing surface 116 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 may be configured to be mounted to the distal end 118 of the shaft 108 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 can include inner ring mounting holes corresponding to and aligning with the bearing mounting holes in the distal end 118 of the shaft 112 .
- the outer race bearing member 114 may be attached to the mounting head 120 of the extendable cylinder 90 .
- the outer race bearing member 114 may be disposed within the inner circumferential mounting head surface 122 .
- the outer race bearing member 114 may have a spherically concave interior bearing surface 124 defining a cavity therewithin.
- the concave interior bearing surface 124 of the outer race bearing member 114 may include a shape that is complementarily to that of the convex exterior bearing surface 116 of the inner ring bearing member 112 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 may be disposed within the cavity of the outer race bearing member 114 with the spherically concave interior bearing surface 124 of the outer race bearing member 114 concentrically circumscribing the spherically convex exterior bearing surface 116 of the inner ring bearing member 112 .
- the spherically convex exterior bearing surface 116 of the inner ring bearing member 112 and the spherically concave interior bearing surface 124 of the outer race bearing member 114 may define the bearing interface 110 .
- seals (such as those shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,575, for example) can be provided on both sides of the outer race bearing member 114 that help seal the bearing interface 110 .
- one or both of the convex exterior bearing surface 116 of the inner ring bearing member 112 and the concave interior bearing surface 124 of the outer race bearing member 114 may have a friction-reducing liner applied thereto.
- the friction-reducing liner can be made from any suitable material, such as, PTFE, for example.
- the joint assembly 100 is shown in an assembled configuration.
- the bearing 104 may be mounted to the extendable cylinder 90 (best seen in FIG. 2 ).
- a seal member 200 , 300 , 400 and the inner retention ring 126 may rest on the shaft 108 .
- a slight clearance between the radially inner ring 202 of the seal 200 , 300 , 400 and the shaft 112 allow the seal 200 , 300 , 400 to be mounted onto the shaft 108 from the distal end 118 thereof.
- the taper portion 128 of the inner shaft engagement surface 130 of the seal 200 , 300 , 400 may act in the manner of a countersink to facilitate the insertion of the distal end 118 of the shaft 108 through the intermediate passage 132 .
- the seal 200 , 300 , 400 may move along the rotational axis “RA” in the inboard direction 134 until the taper portion 128 seats against the concave taper surface 136 of the shaft 108 .
- a lubricant may be applied to the exterior surface 138 of the shaft 108 to facilitate the translation of the resilient intermediate portion 204 along the rotational axis “RA” of the shaft 108 into the position shown in FIG. 3 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 of the bearing 104 is then seated onto the distal end 118 of the shaft 108 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 may be moved relative shaft along the rotational axis “RA” in the inboard direction 134 and the inner ring bearing member 112 may be rotated relative to the rotational axis “RA” to align the mounting holes in the inner ring bearing member 112 with the bearing mounting holes in the shaft 108 .
- the inner ring bearing member 112 can then be connected to the distal end 118 of the shaft 108 using suitable fasteners.
- the outer seal cover 140 can be assembled to the outboard side 142 of the pivot member 106 .
- the inner retention ring 126 and the seal 200 , 300 , 400 can be bolted together to the inboard side 144 of the pivot member 106 .
- the radially outer flange 206 of the seal 200 , 300 , 400 secured to the pivot member 106 , the radially inner ring 202 of the seal 200 , 300 , 400 is in contacting relationship with the bearing 104 and the resilient intermediate portion 204 is in interfering, sealing relationship with the exterior surface 138 of the shaft 108 , as shown in FIG. 3 .
- the sealing bead 324 (best seen in FIG.
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 of the seal 200 , 300 , 40 may create a seal at the seam 146 disposed axially between the radially outer flange 206 of the seal 200 , 300 , 400 and the inner retention ring 126 .
- the seal 200 may comprise an at least partially cylindrical annular body 208 defining a radial direction 8208 , an axial direction A 208 , and a circumferential direction C 208 .
- the at least partially cylindrical annular body 208 may include a radially outer flange 206 , a radially inner ring 202 , and a resilient intermediate portion 204 joining the radially outer flange 206 to the radially inner ring 202 .
- the radially outer flange 206 may define a seal outer diameter 210 and a flange axial thickness 212 .
- a ratio of the seal outer diameter 210 to the flange axial thickness 212 may range from 14.0 to 15.0 (e.g. approximately 14.5).
- the flange axial thickness 212 may range from 11 mm to 13 mm (e.g. approximately 12 mm) and the seal outer diameter may range from 173 mm to 177 mm (e.g. approximately 175 mm).
- Other ratios and dimensions are possible in other embodiments.
- the radially inner ring 202 may define a seal inner diameter 214 ranging from 80 mm to 86 mm (e.g. approximately 83 mm), and the seal 200 may define an overall seal axial thickness 216 ranging from 33 mm to 35 mm (e.g. approximately 34 mm).
- the radially outer flange 206 , the radially inner ring 202 , and the resilient intermediate portion 204 may be made from various suitable materials.
- the radially outer flange 206 and the radially inner ring 202 are more rigid (measurable via a higher surface hardness) than the resilient intermediate portion 204 .
- the radially outer flange 206 may comprise a steel material
- the radially inner ring 202 may include a nylon material
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 may include a rubber material.
- the rubber material may be molded onto the steel material and onto the nylon material.
- the seal 200 may be manufactured or assembled in other manners.
- the radially outer flange, the radially inner ring, and the resilient intermediate portion may be nested one onto another and/or be supplied as separate components in a kit, etc.
- the seal 300 may comprise an at least partially cylindrical annular body 208 defining a radial direction R 208 , an axial direction A 208 , and a circumferential direction C 208 .
- the at least partially cylindrical annular body 208 may include a radially outer flange 206 , a radially inner ring 202 , and a resilient intermediate portion 204 joining the radially outer flange 206 to the radially inner ring 202 .
- the radially outer flange 206 defines a flange inner diameter 302 , and includes a flange front axial face 304 , and a flange rear axial face 306 . As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the radially outer flange 206 may further define a flange notch 308 with a flange notch bottom surface 310 extending from the flange front axial face 304 to the flange inner diameter 302 .
- the flange notch bottom surface 310 includes an inclined portion 312 , and a radial portion 314 that meet at an intersection point 316 .
- the inclined portion 312 may extend from the flange front axial face 304
- the radial portion 314 may extend from the intersection point 316 to the flange inner diameter 302 .
- the inclined portion 312 forms an obtuse notch angle 318 with the radial portion 314
- the flange notch 308 defines a flange notch axial depth 320 measured from the flange front axial face 304 to the radial portion 314 .
- Other configurations are possible in other embodiments.
- the obtuse notch angle 318 ranges from 115 degrees to 125 degrees (e.g. approximately 120 degrees)
- the flange notch axial depth 320 ranges from 3.75 mm to 4.25 mm (e.g. approximately 4 mm)
- the intersection point 316 defines an intersection point diameter 321 that ranges from 118 mm to 122 mm (e.g. approximately 120 mm).
- Other dimensional ranges are possible in other embodiments.
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 may include a tab 322 that is at least partially complimentarily configured to fit in the flange notch 308 .
- the tab 322 may include a sealing bead 324 extending axially proud of the flange front axial face 304 .
- the sealing bead 324 may include a convex radius 326 that defines convex radius center 328 that is substantially radially aligned (e.g. within +/ ⁇ 0.5 mm) with the intersection point 316 of the flange notch 308 and that is substantially axially aligned (e.g. within +/ ⁇ 1 mm) with the flange front axial face 304 .
- Other configurations for these features are possible in other embodiments.
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 further includes a radially outer concave radius 330 and a radially inner concave radius 332 .
- the radially outer concave radius 330 extends radially outward from the convex radius 326 of the sealing bead 324
- the radially inner concave radius 332 extends radially inward from the convex radius 326 of the sealing bead 324 .
- the radially outer concave radius 330 may be tangent to the convex radius 326
- the radially inner concave radius 332 may also be tangent to the convex radius 326 .
- the radially outer concave radius 332 may transition to an upper axial surface 340 that terminates radially and axially proximate to flange front axial face 304 . Other configurations for these features are possible in other embodiments.
- the convex radius 326 may define a convex radius of curvature 334 ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm (e.g. approximately 1 mm), the radially outer concave radius 330 may define a radially outer concave radius of curvature 336 ranging from 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm (e.g. approximately 0.25 mm), and the radially inner concave radius 332 may define a radially inner concave radius of curvature 338 ranging from 4 mm to 5 mm (e.g. approximately 4.4 mm). Other dimensional values for these features are possible in other embodiments.
- the seal 400 may comprise an at least partially cylindrical annular body 208 defining a radial direction R 208 , an axial direction A 208 , and a circumferential direction C 208 .
- the at least partially cylindrical annular body 208 may include a radially outer flange 206 including a flange front axial face 304 and a flange rear axial face 306 .
- the body 208 may also include a radially inner ring 202 , and a resilient intermediate portion 204 joining the radially outer flange 206 to the radially inner ring 202 .
- the radially inner ring 202 may define a seal inner diameter 214 and may include a ring front axial face 402 .
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 may define a resilient intermediate portion notch 404 that includes a radial surface 406 extending from seal inner diameter 214 , and an axial surface 408 extending from the radial surface 406 to the ring front axial face 402 .
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 may also include a skirt portion 410 extending axially from the ring front axial face 402 past the radial surface 406 .
- the skirt portion 410 may define a radially outer surface 412 that is drafted relative to the axial direction A 208 , forming a draft angle 414 .
- the draft angle 414 may range from 0.5 degrees to 1.5 degrees (e.g. approximately 1 degree).
- the skirt portion 410 may define a skirt radial thickness 416 ranging from 0.75 mm to 1.25 mm (e.g. approximately 1 mm).
- the radially inner concave radius 332 may also be tangent to the radially outer surface 412 of the skirt portion 410 .
- the radially inner ring 202 may define a ring radial thickness 418 ranging from 8 mm to 10 mm (e.g. approximately 9 mm), and a ring axial thickness 420 ranging from 11 mm to 13 mm (e.g. approximately 12 mm).
- the resilient intermediate portion 204 defines a resilient intermediate portion radially inner surface 422 that is substantially radially aligned (e.g. within +/ ⁇ 0.1 mm) with the seal inner diameter 214 , a resilient intermediate portion axial rear surface 424 that is substantially axially aligned (e.g. within +/ ⁇ 0.1 mm) with the flange rear axial face 306 .
- a sealing surface 426 may extend axially from the resilient intermediate portion axial rear face 424 to the resilient intermediate portion radially inner surface 422 , meeting therewith at a transition point 428 disposed axially between the flange front axial face 304 and the flange rear axial face 306 .
- the transition point 428 may be spaced axially away from the flange front axial face 304 a predetermined axial distance 430 ranging from 1.8 mm to 2.0 mm (e.g. approximately 1.9 mm).
- the radial dimension 432 of the resilient intermediate portion axial rear face 424 may range from 14 mm to 16 mm (e.g. approximately 15 mm).
- any of the materials, material properties, dimensions, ratios, configurations, etc. discussed herein may be varied as needed or desired to be different than any value or characteristic specifically mentioned herein or shown in the drawings for any of the embodiments.
- a seal, any component of the seal, and/or a machine using any embodiment disclosed herein may be sold, bought, manufactured or otherwise obtained in an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or after-market context.
- the seals may be provided so that they can be inserted into joint assemblies already in the field. That is to say, the joint assemblies already in the field may be retrofitted with the seals disclosed herein.
- any embodiment of the seal discussed herein may have a substantially consistent cross-section take through a plane containing the radial and axial directions (e.g. see FIG. 5 ).
- the seal may be modeled via CAD (computer aided design) to a large extent by rotating the cross-section in FIG. 6 about the axial direction A 208 .
- tab and draft of the skirt may be provided to aid in manufacturing.
- the tab and flange notch may allow de-flashing, without the fear of tearing, or the need of trimming the area near the tab after molding.
- the draft of the skirt may aid in demolding, etc.
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Abstract
Description
- The present disclosure relates to a seal for a joint assembly of a machined. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a seal member for a maintenance-free bearing of a joint assembly of an off-highway machine.
- Off-highway machines have a dump body may operate in a variety of environments. Such machines can include one or more hoist cylinders configured to selectively pivot the dump body about its rear end from a horizontal position to an inclined dumping position, etc. During the dumping process, the end of the hoist cylinder that is connected to the frame of the machine can pivot about a bearing to accommodate the different orientations of the dump body. The operational efficiency of the hoist cylinder can be impaired such that it experiences increased mechanical loads that lead to early maintenance for the bearing. Thus, it is desirable to provide a robust seal that protects the bearing from the infiltration from outside contaminants. Also, it may be desirable to seal in any lubricant that may help prolong the useful life of the joint in certain applications.
- Various seal designs have been developed to address these issues. For example, U.S. Pat. Application Publ. No. 2016/0097454A1 to Chapagain et al. discloses a seal member for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft that includes a ring, a flange, and a resiliently flexible intermediate portion interposed between the ring and the flange. The ring includes an annular distal and proximal ring faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along a longitudinal axis. The flange may include a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal axis. The flange may include an outer and an inner flange surface extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at, respectively, the outer and inner flange perimeters thereof. The intermediate portion is connected to the proximal ring face of the ring and to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange.
- Continuous improvement of such seals is warranted such that the seals are easy to install and manufacture, as well as be robust enough to withstand the pressure exerted on them externally by mud packing, etc.
- A seal according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure includes an at least partially cylindrical annular body defining a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction. The at least partially cylindrical annular body may have a radially outer flange, a radially inner ring, and a resilient intermediate portion joining the radially outer flange to the radially inner ring. The radially outer flange defines a seal outer diameter and a flange axial thickness, and a ratio of the seal outer diameter to the flange axial thickness ranges from 14.0 to 15.0.
- A seal according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure includes an at least partially cylindrical annular body defining a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction. The at least partially cylindrical annular body may have a radially outer flange, a radially inner ring, and a resilient intermediate portion joining the radially outer flange to the radially inner ring. The radially outer flange defines a flange inner diameter, the radially outer flange also includes a flange front axial face, and a flange rear axial face. The radially outer flange further defines a flange notch with a flange notch bottom surface extending from the flange front axial face to the flange inner diameter.
- A seal according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure includes an at least partially cylindrical annular body defining a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction. The at least partially cylindrical annular body may have a radially outer flange, a radially inner ring, and a resilient intermediate portion joining the radially outer flange to the radially inner ring. The radially inner ring defines a seal inner diameter and includes a ring front axial face. The resilient intermediate portion defines a resilient intermediate portion notch that includes a radial surface extending from the seal inner diameter, and an axial surface extending from the radial surface to the ring front axial face. The resilient intermediate portion also includes a skirt portion extending axially from the ring front axial face past the radial surface.
- The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 is a side view of a machine in the form of an off-highway truck suitable for use with a joint assembly using a seal design according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the joint assembly ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the joint assembly ofFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 4 is a front view of a seal design ofFIG. 3 . -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the seal design ofFIG. 4 taken along lines 5-5 thereof. -
FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the seal design ofFIG. 5 , illustrating the top portion of the cross-sectional geometry of the radially inner ring, the radially outer flange, and the resilient intermediate portion of the seal design more clearly. -
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the radially outer flange ofFIG. 6 shown in isolation from the radially inner ring and the resilient intermediate portion. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the radially outer flange ofFIG. 7 taken along lines 8-8 thereof. -
FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the top portion of the radially outer flange ofFIG. 8 . -
FIG. 10 is a front view of radially inner ring ofFIG. 7 shown in isolation from the radially outer flange and the resilient intermediate portion. -
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the radially inner ring ofFIG. 10 taken along taken along lines 11-11 thereof. - Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. In some cases, a reference number will be indicated in this specification and the drawings will show the reference number followed by a letter for example, 100a, 100b or by a prime for example, 100′, 100″ etc. It is to be understood that the use of letters or primes immediately after a reference number indicates that these features are similarly shaped and have similar function as is often the case when geometry is mirrored about a plane of symmetry. For ease of explanation in this specification, letters and primes will often not be included herein but may be shown in the drawings to indicate duplications of features, having similar or identical function or geometry, discussed within this written specification.
- Various embodiments of a seal design that may be used for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft are provided according to various principles of the present disclosure. The seal may prevent dirt or debris from entering into the joint and/or may keep lubricant within the joint, etc.
- Starting with
FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of amachine 50 in the form of an off-highway truck. In the illustrated embodiment, the machine is a large self-propelled off-highway vehicle capable of carrying tons of material in operations such as mining and the like. Themachine 50 has achassis 55 which supports anoperator station 60, apower system 62, adrive system 64, and adump body 68. - In other embodiments, the
machine 50 can be any other suitable machine for use with a joint assembly having a seal design constructed in accordance with principles of the present disclosure. Examples of such machines include mobile or fixed machines used for construction, farming, mining, forestry, earth moving, transportation, and other similar industries. In some embodiments, the machine can be an excavator, wheel loader, backhoe, crane, compactor, dozer, wheel tractor-scraper, material-handling machine, or any other suitable machine which includes a joint assembly with a seal. - The
operator station 60 may include controls for operating themachine 50 via thepower system 62. The illustratedoperator station 60 is configured to define aninterior cabin 70 within which the operator controls are housed and which is accessible via adoor 72. Specifically, theoperator station 60 can include one or more operator interface devices configured for use by a machine operator to maneuver themachine 50 and perform tasks with themachine 50, for example. Examples of operator interface devices include, but are not limited to, a joystick, a steering wheel, and/or a pedal as are well known and understood in the industry. - The
power system 62 may be configured to supply power to themachine 50. Thepower system 62 is operably arranged with theoperator station 60 to receive control signals from the controls in theoperator station 60 and with thedrive system 64 and thedump body 68 to selectively operate thedrive system 64 and/or thedump body 68 according to control signals received from theoperator station 60. Thepower system 62 is adapted to provide operating power for the propulsion of thedrive system 64 and the operation of thedump body 68 as is understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. - In embodiments, the
power system 62 may include an engine, a cooling system or package, a transmission, and a hydraulic system, for example, housed at least in part within anengine compartment 75 supported by thechassis 55. In embodiments, the engine can be any suitable engine, such as, an internal combustion engine, a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, a gaseous fuel-powered engine or any other type of suitable engine. In embodiments, thepower system 62 can include a number of engines. The cooling system can be configured to cool the engine(s) of thepower system 62. - The hydraulic system may include a plurality of components such as pumps, valves, and conduits, along with a hydraulic fluid reservoir (not shown). The hydraulic system, as well as other systems in the machine, may include its own cooling arrangement.
- The
drive system 64 may be in operable arrangement with thepower system 62 to selectively propel themachine 50 via control signals sent through theoperator station 60. Thedrive system 64 can include a plurality of ground-engaging members, such as,wheels 80 as shown in the illustrated embodiment, which can be movably connected to thechassis 55 through axles, drive shafts or other components (not shown). In embodiments, thedrive system 64 can be provided in the form of a track-drive system, a wheel-drive system, or any other type of drive system configured to propel themachine 50. - The
dump body 68 defines a storage compartment configured to carry a payload, such as mined material, for example, within it. Thedump body 68 is pivotably attached to thechassis 55 by a pair of pivot pins 82 respectively extending through a pair of body supports 84 projecting form thedump body 68 and located toward arear end 86 of the dump body 12, one on each side of thedump body 68. The pivot pins 82 define a dump body pivot axis about which thedump body 68 can rotate relative to thechassis 55. Thedump body 68 is movable over a range of travel between a storage position (shown inFIG. 1 ) and a fully-inclined dumping position (shown in dashed lines inFIG. 1 ). - The
dump body 68 may include acanopy 88 that extends outwardly from thedump body 68 when thedump body 68 is in the storage position, as shown inFIG. 1 . When thedump body 68 is in the storage position, thecanopy 88 extends over theoperator station 60 and is configured to protect the operator station from debris falling overhead during loading of thedump body 68. - In other embodiments, a different style of
dump body 68 can be used. In embodiments, thedump body 68 can include a tailgate at therear end 86 thereof which is adapted to move between an open position and a closed position. - In some embodiments, at least one
actuator 90 is provided that is adapted to selectively move the dump body over the range of travel between the storage position and the fully-inclined dumping position. In some embodiments, theactuator 90 can be any suitable actuator, such as an extendable cylinder in the form of a hydraulic cylinder or a hydro-pneumatic cylinder, for example, as is well known to those skilled in the art. In embodiments, themachine 50 can include a single extendable cylinder, for example, a pair of extendable cylinders as is customary, or more than two cylinders to selectively pivot thedump body 68. - In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of actuators in the form of
extendable cylinders 90 is provided. Each of theextendable cylinders 90 is pivotably connected to a respective side of thechassis 55 and thedump body 68. Eachextendable cylinder 90 is moveable over a range of travel between a refracted position (as shown as solid lines inFIG. 1 ) and an extended position (as shown as dotted lines inFIG. 1 ) to place thedump body 68 in the storage position and the fully-inclined position, respectively. - A pair of
cylinder brackets 92 may be provided between afront end 94 of thedump body 68 and the body supports 84. Eachcylinder bracket 92 is adapted to receive anupper end 96 of one of theextendable cylinders 90, which can be pivotably mounted thereto via apin 98, for example. A pair ofjoint assemblies 100 constructed in accordance with principles of the present disclosure is provided to pivotably mount alower end 102 of a respectiveextendable cylinder 90 to thechassis 55. - In the illustrated embodiment, when the
cylinders 90 are in the retracted position, thedump body 68 is in the storage position for receiving payload therein. When thecylinders 90 are in the extended position, thefront end 94 of thedump body 68 is raised relative to thechassis 55 to pivot thedump body 68 about the pivot axis to one of a series of dumping positions up to the fully-inclined dumping position for expelling the payload stored within thedump body 68 from therear end 86 thereof. This movement ofdump body 68 can be controlled using an operator interface device housed in theoperator station 60 in a conventional manner. - Referring now to
FIG. 2 , an instance of thejoint assembly 100 and its attachment to acylinder 90 is shown. Various lubrication lines are also shown but it is to be understood that any of the embodiments of the seal design mentioned herein may be used in either a “dry” lube or “wet” lube joint application. -
FIG. 3 depicts the interior of thejoint assembly 100. Thejoint assembly 100 may comprise abearing 104 that is provided to facilitate the relative movement of apivot member 106 and ashaft 108. Thebearing 104 may define abearing interface 110 about which thepivot member 106 is pivotable with respect to theshaft 108. - The illustrated
bearing 104 may include an innerring bearing member 112 and an outerrace bearing member 114. The innerring bearing member 112 has a spherically convexexterior bearing surface 116. The innerring bearing member 112 may be configured to be mounted to thedistal end 118 of theshaft 108. The innerring bearing member 112 can include inner ring mounting holes corresponding to and aligning with the bearing mounting holes in thedistal end 118 of theshaft 112. - The outer
race bearing member 114 may be attached to the mountinghead 120 of theextendable cylinder 90. The outerrace bearing member 114 may be disposed within the inner circumferential mountinghead surface 122. - The outer
race bearing member 114 may have a spherically concaveinterior bearing surface 124 defining a cavity therewithin. The concaveinterior bearing surface 124 of the outerrace bearing member 114 may include a shape that is complementarily to that of the convexexterior bearing surface 116 of the innerring bearing member 112. - The inner
ring bearing member 112 may be disposed within the cavity of the outerrace bearing member 114 with the spherically concaveinterior bearing surface 124 of the outerrace bearing member 114 concentrically circumscribing the spherically convexexterior bearing surface 116 of the innerring bearing member 112. The spherically convexexterior bearing surface 116 of the innerring bearing member 112 and the spherically concaveinterior bearing surface 124 of the outerrace bearing member 114 may define thebearing interface 110. - In some embodiments, seals (such as those shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,575, for example) can be provided on both sides of the outer
race bearing member 114 that help seal thebearing interface 110. In some embodiments, one or both of the convexexterior bearing surface 116 of the innerring bearing member 112 and the concaveinterior bearing surface 124 of the outerrace bearing member 114 may have a friction-reducing liner applied thereto. In embodiments, the friction-reducing liner can be made from any suitable material, such as, PTFE, for example. - With continued reference to
FIG. 3 , thejoint assembly 100 is shown in an assembled configuration. To assemble thejoint assembly 100, thebearing 104 may be mounted to the extendable cylinder 90 (best seen inFIG. 2 ). Aseal member inner retention ring 126 may rest on theshaft 108. - Still looking at
FIG. 3 , a slight clearance between the radiallyinner ring 202 of theseal shaft 112 allow theseal shaft 108 from thedistal end 118 thereof. Thetaper portion 128 of the innershaft engagement surface 130 of theseal distal end 118 of theshaft 108 through theintermediate passage 132. Theseal inboard direction 134 until thetaper portion 128 seats against theconcave taper surface 136 of theshaft 108. In some embodiments, a lubricant may be applied to theexterior surface 138 of theshaft 108 to facilitate the translation of the resilientintermediate portion 204 along the rotational axis “RA” of theshaft 108 into the position shown inFIG. 3 . - The inner
ring bearing member 112 of thebearing 104 is then seated onto thedistal end 118 of theshaft 108. The innerring bearing member 112 may be moved relative shaft along the rotational axis “RA” in theinboard direction 134 and the innerring bearing member 112 may be rotated relative to the rotational axis “RA” to align the mounting holes in the innerring bearing member 112 with the bearing mounting holes in theshaft 108. The innerring bearing member 112 can then be connected to thedistal end 118 of theshaft 108 using suitable fasteners. - The
outer seal cover 140 can be assembled to theoutboard side 142 of thepivot member 106. Theinner retention ring 126 and theseal inboard side 144 of thepivot member 106. With the radiallyouter flange 206 of theseal pivot member 106, the radiallyinner ring 202 of theseal bearing 104 and the resilientintermediate portion 204 is in interfering, sealing relationship with theexterior surface 138 of theshaft 108, as shown inFIG. 3 . At the same time, the sealing bead 324 (best seen inFIG. 6 ) of the resilientintermediate portion 204 of theseal 200, 300, 40 may create a seal at theseam 146 disposed axially between the radiallyouter flange 206 of theseal inner retention ring 126. - A seal 200 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will now be discussed looking at
FIG. 4 thru 11. Focusing onFIG. 4 thru 6, the seal 200 may comprise an at least partially cylindricalannular body 208 defining a radial direction 8208, an axial direction A208, and a circumferential direction C208. As alluded to earlier herein, the at least partially cylindricalannular body 208 may include a radiallyouter flange 206, a radiallyinner ring 202, and a resilientintermediate portion 204 joining the radiallyouter flange 206 to the radiallyinner ring 202. - As best seen in
FIGS. 4 and 8 , the radiallyouter flange 206 may define a sealouter diameter 210 and a flangeaxial thickness 212. A ratio of the sealouter diameter 210 to the flangeaxial thickness 212 may range from 14.0 to 15.0 (e.g. approximately 14.5). In such an embodiment, the flangeaxial thickness 212 may range from 11 mm to 13 mm (e.g. approximately 12 mm) and the seal outer diameter may range from 173 mm to 177 mm (e.g. approximately 175 mm). Other ratios and dimensions are possible in other embodiments. - Looking at
FIGS. 4 and 5 , the radiallyinner ring 202 may define a sealinner diameter 214 ranging from 80 mm to 86 mm (e.g. approximately 83 mm), and the seal 200 may define an overall sealaxial thickness 216 ranging from 33 mm to 35 mm (e.g. approximately 34 mm). - The radially
outer flange 206, the radiallyinner ring 202, and the resilientintermediate portion 204 may be made from various suitable materials. In this embodiment, the radiallyouter flange 206 and the radiallyinner ring 202 are more rigid (measurable via a higher surface hardness) than the resilientintermediate portion 204. In such a case, the radiallyouter flange 206 may comprise a steel material, the radiallyinner ring 202 may include a nylon material, and the resilientintermediate portion 204 may include a rubber material. In such a case, the rubber material may be molded onto the steel material and onto the nylon material. Other materials and material properties are possible in other embodiments. Also, the seal 200 may be manufactured or assembled in other manners. For example, the radially outer flange, the radially inner ring, and the resilient intermediate portion may be nested one onto another and/or be supplied as separate components in a kit, etc. - A
seal 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure will now be discussed with reference toFIG. 4 thru 9. Theseal 300 may comprise an at least partially cylindricalannular body 208 defining a radial direction R208, an axial direction A208, and a circumferential direction C208. The at least partially cylindricalannular body 208 may include a radiallyouter flange 206, a radiallyinner ring 202, and a resilientintermediate portion 204 joining the radiallyouter flange 206 to the radiallyinner ring 202. - Focusing on
FIG. 7 thru 9, the radiallyouter flange 206 defines a flangeinner diameter 302, and includes a flange frontaxial face 304, and a flange rearaxial face 306. As best seen inFIGS. 8 and 9 , the radiallyouter flange 206 may further define aflange notch 308 with a flange notchbottom surface 310 extending from the flange frontaxial face 304 to the flangeinner diameter 302. - In
FIG. 9 , the flange notchbottom surface 310 includes aninclined portion 312, and aradial portion 314 that meet at anintersection point 316. Theinclined portion 312 may extend from the flange frontaxial face 304, while theradial portion 314 may extend from theintersection point 316 to the flangeinner diameter 302. Theinclined portion 312 forms anobtuse notch angle 318 with theradial portion 314, and theflange notch 308 defines a flange notchaxial depth 320 measured from the flange frontaxial face 304 to theradial portion 314. Other configurations are possible in other embodiments. - For the embodiment shown, the
obtuse notch angle 318 ranges from 115 degrees to 125 degrees (e.g. approximately 120 degrees), the flange notchaxial depth 320 ranges from 3.75 mm to 4.25 mm (e.g. approximately 4 mm), and theintersection point 316 defines anintersection point diameter 321 that ranges from 118 mm to 122 mm (e.g. approximately 120 mm). Other dimensional ranges are possible in other embodiments. - Referring back to
FIG. 6 , the resilientintermediate portion 204 may include atab 322 that is at least partially complimentarily configured to fit in theflange notch 308. Thetab 322 may include a sealingbead 324 extending axially proud of the flange frontaxial face 304. The sealingbead 324 may include aconvex radius 326 that definesconvex radius center 328 that is substantially radially aligned (e.g. within +/−0.5 mm) with theintersection point 316 of theflange notch 308 and that is substantially axially aligned (e.g. within +/−1 mm) with the flange frontaxial face 304. Other configurations for these features are possible in other embodiments. - In addition, the resilient
intermediate portion 204 further includes a radially outerconcave radius 330 and a radially innerconcave radius 332. The radially outerconcave radius 330 extends radially outward from theconvex radius 326 of the sealingbead 324, while the radially innerconcave radius 332 extends radially inward from theconvex radius 326 of the sealingbead 324. Also, the radially outerconcave radius 330 may be tangent to theconvex radius 326, and the radially innerconcave radius 332 may also be tangent to theconvex radius 326. The radially outerconcave radius 332 may transition to an upperaxial surface 340 that terminates radially and axially proximate to flange frontaxial face 304. Other configurations for these features are possible in other embodiments. - The
convex radius 326 may define a convex radius ofcurvature 334 ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm (e.g. approximately 1 mm), the radially outerconcave radius 330 may define a radially outer concave radius of curvature 336 ranging from 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm (e.g. approximately 0.25 mm), and the radially innerconcave radius 332 may define a radially inner concave radius of curvature 338 ranging from 4 mm to 5 mm (e.g. approximately 4.4 mm). Other dimensional values for these features are possible in other embodiments. - With continued reference to
FIG. 6 , a third embodiment of aseal 400 according to the principles of the present disclosure will now be discussed. Theseal 400 may comprise an at least partially cylindricalannular body 208 defining a radial direction R208, an axial direction A208, and a circumferential direction C208. The at least partially cylindricalannular body 208 may include a radiallyouter flange 206 including a flange frontaxial face 304 and a flange rearaxial face 306. Thebody 208 may also include a radiallyinner ring 202, and a resilientintermediate portion 204 joining the radiallyouter flange 206 to the radiallyinner ring 202. - The radially
inner ring 202 may define a sealinner diameter 214 and may include a ring frontaxial face 402. The resilientintermediate portion 204 may define a resilientintermediate portion notch 404 that includes aradial surface 406 extending from sealinner diameter 214, and anaxial surface 408 extending from theradial surface 406 to the ring frontaxial face 402. The resilientintermediate portion 204 may also include askirt portion 410 extending axially from the ring frontaxial face 402 past theradial surface 406. - The
skirt portion 410 may define a radiallyouter surface 412 that is drafted relative to the axial direction A208, forming adraft angle 414. Thedraft angle 414 may range from 0.5 degrees to 1.5 degrees (e.g. approximately 1 degree). Theskirt portion 410 may define askirt radial thickness 416 ranging from 0.75 mm to 1.25 mm (e.g. approximately 1 mm). The radially innerconcave radius 332 may also be tangent to the radiallyouter surface 412 of theskirt portion 410. - In
FIG. 11 , the radiallyinner ring 202 may define aring radial thickness 418 ranging from 8 mm to 10 mm (e.g. approximately 9 mm), and a ringaxial thickness 420 ranging from 11 mm to 13 mm (e.g. approximately 12 mm). - Referring again to
FIG. 6 , the resilientintermediate portion 204 defines a resilient intermediate portion radiallyinner surface 422 that is substantially radially aligned (e.g. within +/−0.1 mm) with the sealinner diameter 214, a resilient intermediate portion axialrear surface 424 that is substantially axially aligned (e.g. within +/−0.1 mm) with the flange rearaxial face 306. A sealingsurface 426 may extend axially from the resilient intermediate portion axialrear face 424 to the resilient intermediate portion radiallyinner surface 422, meeting therewith at atransition point 428 disposed axially between the flange frontaxial face 304 and the flange rearaxial face 306. Thetransition point 428 may be spaced axially away from the flange front axial face 304 a predeterminedaxial distance 430 ranging from 1.8 mm to 2.0 mm (e.g. approximately 1.9 mm). Theradial dimension 432 of the resilient intermediate portion axialrear face 424 may range from 14 mm to 16 mm (e.g. approximately 15 mm). - Again, any of the materials, material properties, dimensions, ratios, configurations, etc. discussed herein may be varied as needed or desired to be different than any value or characteristic specifically mentioned herein or shown in the drawings for any of the embodiments.
- In practice, a seal, any component of the seal, and/or a machine using any embodiment disclosed herein may be sold, bought, manufactured or otherwise obtained in an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or after-market context. In particular, the seals may be provided so that they can be inserted into joint assemblies already in the field. That is to say, the joint assemblies already in the field may be retrofitted with the seals disclosed herein.
- It is to be understood that any embodiment of the seal discussed herein may have a substantially consistent cross-section take through a plane containing the radial and axial directions (e.g. see
FIG. 5 ). Thus, the seal may be modeled via CAD (computer aided design) to a large extent by rotating the cross-section inFIG. 6 about the axial direction A208. - Various features discussed earlier herein including the tab and draft of the skirt may be provided to aid in manufacturing. The tab and flange notch may allow de-flashing, without the fear of tearing, or the need of trimming the area near the tab after molding. The draft of the skirt may aid in demolding, etc.
- Other features are provided for alignment and fastening. These features include
fastener clearance holes 434 and dowel pin holes 436 (seeFIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8 ). - It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the apparatus and methods of assembly as discussed herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention(s). Other embodiments of this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the various embodiments disclosed herein. For example, some of the equipment may be constructed and function differently than what has been described herein and certain steps of any method may be omitted, performed in an order that is different than what has been specifically mentioned or in some cases performed simultaneously or in sub-steps. Furthermore, variations or modifications to certain aspects or features of various embodiments may be made to create further embodiments and features and aspects of various embodiments may be added to or substituted for other features or aspects of other embodiments in order to provide still further embodiments.
- Accordingly, it is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention(s) being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.
Claims (20)
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2019
- 2019-03-19 US US16/357,433 patent/US11215285B2/en active Active
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2020
- 2020-02-06 CA CA3132067A patent/CA3132067A1/en active Pending
- 2020-02-06 DE DE112020000844.4T patent/DE112020000844T5/en active Pending
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WO2020190412A1 (en) | 2020-09-24 |
DE112020000844T5 (en) | 2021-11-18 |
CA3132067A1 (en) | 2020-09-24 |
US11215285B2 (en) | 2022-01-04 |
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